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Senator Oberweis: Lawmakers must come together for good of Illinois

Lawmakers must come together for the good of Illinois, restoring fiscal responsibility and approving fundamental changes in the way state government works, according to Senator Jim Oberweis.

Senator Oberweis was reacting to Gov. Bruce Rauner’s fourth “State of the State” address, delivered to a joint session of Illinois lawmakers January 31 in the House of Representatives chambers.

“The Governor gave a realistic assessment of our state, reviewing our accomplishments and reminding us of the many challenges still ahead. We must pass commonsense reforms that will improve government effectiveness, efficiency and accountability; boost our state’s lagging economy, and grow good-paying jobs,” Senator Oberweis said. “The alternative is continuing loss of taxpayers and jobs from our state. We can’t let that happen. We have incredible advantages in Illinois if our politicians would just stop over-taxing and over-regulating.

“Tax cuts and fewer burdensome regulations on the national front are already showing results. Huge amounts of business capital are being repatriated, thousands of workers are getting raises or bonuses from their employers WITHOUT government mandate, and the stock market is hitting record highs,” Senator Oberweis said. “This kind of economic growth means more jobs and more revenue for the state, WITHOUT tax increases. Other methods do work, and we should try better alternatives.”

Senator Oberweis said the Rauner Administration has been working to bring a new direction to Illinois, but is dealing with the cumulative effects of years of tax-and-spend policies and questionable budgeting practices.

“I liked his quote that ‘Throughout our history, Illinois has been a magnet. If you wanted to till the soil, lay a brick, build a building, make a deal, super compute, you name it ... you could find work in Illinois, afford a home, and rely on the public schools to educate your children. Today, we have an opportunity to turn yesterday into tomorrow, and given its assets, make Illinois the powerhouse job creator it should be.’ This is the Illinois I remember,” Senator Oberweis said. “This is the Illinois we should work to restore.”

The 25th District Senator said he stands ready to work with Governor Rauner and his fellow lawmakers to promote the kind of economic climate that encourages job creation and growth.

Governor Rauner is expected to present his Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Address February 14.